Electrolevelled substrate for electrophotographic photoreceptors and method of fabricating same

Abstract

An improved electrolevelled, electrically-conductive substrate for use in the manufacture of electrophotographic photoreceptors and a method of fabricating same.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of fabricating an improved substrate for an electrophotographic photoreceptor, said photoreceptor including an electrically conductive substrate having a deposition surface, a microcrystalline silicon alloy blocking layer overlying the deposition surface of the substrate, a photoconductive layer of silicon alloys, germanium alloys or silicon-germanium alloys overlying the blocking layer and a top protective layer overlying the photoconductive layer; the method including the steps of: providing an electrically conductive substrate;   electroplating a continuous, substantially defect-free levelling layer of electrically conductive material atop the deposition surface of the substrate; said levelling layer including an additive adapted to selectively retard the rate of deposition of said levelling layer at those regions of the substrate which exhibit the highest current density; and   glow discharge depositing successive layers of semiconductor alloy material of varying compositions atop the levelling layer so as to form the blocking layer, the photoconductive layer and the top protective layer thereupon.   
     
     
       2. A method as in claim 1, including the further step of forming the levelling layer from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of nickel, copper, indium, tin, cadmium, zinc and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       3. A method as in claim 1, including the further step of glow discharge depositing an enhancement layer operatively disposed between the photoconductive layer and the top protective layer. 
     
     
       4. A method as in claim 1, including the further step of depositing the levelling layer to a thickness of about 5 microns to 125 microns. 
     
     
       5. A method as in claim 1, including the further step of forming the substrate from stainless steel. 
     
     
       6. A method as in claim 5, including the further step of forming the levelling layer of an electroplated nickel or copper alloy. 
     
     
       7. A method as in claim 3, including the further step of fabricating the enhancement layer from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of amorphous silicon alloys, amorphous germanium alloys and amorphous silicon-germanium alloys. 
     
     
       8. A method as in claim 1, including the further step of fabricating the photoconductive layer from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of chalcogens, amorphous silicon alloys, amorphous germanium alloys, amorphous silicon-germanium alloys and organic photoconductors.